Spike Lee’s Michael Jackson documentary BAD25 has been hailed as a success. Spike Lee, of course, has personal knowledge of working with Jackson – he directed his 1996 video ‘The Don’t Care About Us,’ so the documentary is lent an intimate air, as he conducts the interviews himself. Featured in the interviewee’s chair are a host of stars, all influenced, or touched by Jackson and the music of his hit album Bad (released 25 years ago this year).

Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey and Stevie Wonder are amongst those discussing Jackson’s creative vision, on the album that sold over 30 million copies and spawned five consecutive number ones. According to Boston.com, the film plays out with a series of oral accounts of the recording period. Lee speaks to all of the major players in the recording studio as ell as those involved in his videos and the accompanying tour (surprisingly, including the only solo North American tour that Jackson would ever headline).

Some of the cinematographic vignettes include footage of Martin Scorsese directing Michael Jackson (and Wesley Snipes, before he was famous) in the video for ‘Bad’ and Sheryl Crow, talking of the time that she worked as a back-up singer for Jackson. “The molecules changed in the room,” she said. Although Spike Lee is a vivacious character in his own right, he steps back and lets the interviewees do the talking here. The documentary will be aired this evening (November 21, 2012) at 9:30pm EST, on ABC.